


I'll Be Home For Christmas

by teamchasez



Category: Dale Earnhardt Jr - Fandom, NASCAR - Fandom, NASCAR RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 05:04:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16033550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamchasez/pseuds/teamchasez
Summary: Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. let a blizzard keep him from his family on Christmas, breaking a promise he made to his wife, Sydney and two children, Aaron and Sophia?





	I'll Be Home For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2009.

“You’re kidding me right?” Dale Earnhardt Jr. growled into his phone frustrated. He stood in the middle of a hotel room, packing up the last of his items into his bag. 

“I’m sorry, Dale,” his pilot said into the phone. “All flights are grounded right now. The snow is coming down faster than they can do anything with. They are not giving us clearance to fly.”

“I have to get home!” Dale yelled into the phone. He left the shirt he was folding wadded on the bed as he walked to the window. He stared out into the whiteness, where the snow was billowing down from the skies angrily. The city seemed to stand still, no one wanting to trek out into the blizzard and risk serious injury.

“I know, Dale. But…”

“It’s Christmas Eve for Christ’s sakes!”

“I know that too. But they don’t care. They won’t give us clearance. We don’t have visibility to fly. The runway isn’t even cleared.”

“This fucking sucks,” Dale growled into his phone and punched the off button. He tossed the electronic device on the bed and stood with his arms crossed. He glared outside, wishing the snow would stop. He didn’t care if it started again, as long as it would give them enough time to get up in the air and on the way home. There was no way he could be stranded in this city. He had to get home.

When a knock sounded, he turned around and strode to his door. When he pulled it open, it revealed his PR representative, Mike Davis; the reason he was in this city in the first place. The glare he was giving the outside weather was soon leveled toward the man in front of him. “Are you happy now?” He said. “I just had to do this one appearance. There was no way I couldn’t get out of it. There was no fucking way. This was on the calendar for way to long to back out now,” he turned from the door in the middle of his rant. “It didn’t matter that it was Christmas fucking Eve! No, that was alright. It didn’t matter that I have a family at home, waiting for me! I promised them I would make it back in time! They wouldn’t have to worry, that I would be there on Christmas.”

“Dale,” Mike started. He had walked into the hotel room, shutting the door behind him.

“This was more important than spending time with my family. Wooing a fucking sponsor that didn’t even want me anyway. They weren’t going to sign and they knew it all along!” Dale continued his rant. “Hell I knew that! And yet, here I am! Stuck in his hell hole of a city with you, while my wife and kids are at home.”

“Are you done?” Mike said after Dale fell silent. When Dale said nothing, Mike continued. “Good because you are not the only one who is in jeopardy of missing Christmas with their family. In case you’ve forgotten, I have a wife and child home as well that I might not be spending the holiday with.”

Dale sighed and jammed his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. But damnit, I promised them I’d be back. Sydney will probably understand, but Aaron and Sophia,” he broke off feeling a lump rise in his throat at the mention of his kids. “They won’t understand. All they’ll know if that Daddy wasn’t there on Christmas. You have it easy. Grace isn’t old enough to understand”

“Still doesn’t make it any easier,” Mike sunk down in a chair, leaning back in it with his legs straight out. “I’d still like to be home with Sarah and Grace. It’s not all about the gifts.”

“How the hell am I supposed to call and tell them I’m not going to be home?” Dale picked up his phone, staring down at the wallpaper on the screen. It was a picture of his family. Sydney was crouched down with her arms around their children, Aaron Dale and Sophia Grace. It was taken during the season in Charlotte in front of his car.

He gave another sigh and reached for his coat. Slipping it on as he went out onto the balcony of the room. He lit up a cigarette, blowing out the smoke into the cold December air. Sydney would get on him about smoking and he had been doing a lot better, only smoking on rare occasions. Using his lips to hold the cigarette in his mouth, he connected the call to his wife and placed it to his ear. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and waited for his wife to pick up.

“Hey Baby,” Dale smiled hearing Sydney’s voice on the other end.

“Hey Honey,” Sydney smiled. “Are you on your way home?”

Dale closed his eyes, leaning against the railing. He didn’t want to break his promise. He wanted to be there to see his children’s faces on Christmas morning when they ran down the stairs. He wanted to sit on the couch with Sydney in his arms and watch Aaron and Sophia play with their toys. Then get dressed for the day and head to his Grandmother’s house. 

“Dale?” Sydney questioned again. “You’re on your way home aren’t you? Be careful when you land. It started to snow about an hour ago. Looks like the kids are going to get the snow they asked for.” When her husband stayed silent a pit grew in her stomach. “Dale?”

“I’m sorry, Syd,” Dale breathed, taking another hit from his cigarette. “It’s snowing like crazy here.”

“No,” Sydney shook her head. She stood up from the couch and walked from the living room where her kids were playing to the kitchen. “No Dale.”

“All flights are grounded,” Dale finished the cigarette, grounding it out on the railing. He blew out a breath in frustration. “I don’t know when they’ll let us fly.”

Sydney stayed silent as Dale’s words filtered through her mind. All the flights were cancelled. He didn’t know when he’d be able to come home. He was going to miss Christmas. When Dale told her about the appearance, she didn’t want him to go. She had a bad feeling with it being on Christmas Eve, he’d run into the chance of a storm and not being able to make it home. But he had promised he would be home in time to spend Christmas Eve with them. And now he was calling to say he wouldn’t make it not only for Christmas Eve, but Christmas as well.

“I’m sorry Sydney,” Dale repeated into the silence. He knew she was upset with him. And in that moment, he knew he had to find a way to get back to Mooresville. He had to be there tomorrow for Christmas. “I’ll be home for Christmas.” He told his wife firmly. “You can count on me.”

“How,” Sydney asked softly. “You just said all flights are grounded until further notice. It’s snowing like crazy. How are you going to make it home in time?”

“I will be there, Baby. I am going to find a way to come home to you, Aaron and Sophia. I haven’t missed a Christmas yet and I’m not going to start right now.”

“Hon, I don’t want you doing anything stupid. If you’re not here tomorrow, I’ll just have the kids wait to open their presents until you get back. They won’t mind, they’ll have the presents at your Grandmother’s house to open. Dale, I understand if you can’t get back. It’s not your fault. I don’t want you doing anything drastic.”

“I’ll be okay, Syd.” Dale tried to reassure her. As he looked at the snow falling he wondered how he was going to make it the eight hours back to North Carolina. “I promised you, I promised the kids I’d be there. I don’t want to let you down.”

Sydney walked from the kitchen to the stairs and up to the bedroom. She sat down on their bed. The Christmas spirit was slowly flowing from her body. Without Dale with them, she didn’t want to celebrate. Her heart ached and she wondered how she’d get through tomorrow, knowing Dale was stuck by himself.

“I love you,” Dale said softly into the phone. He wanted to be home in that very instance, to sweep his wife up in his arms. He wanted to hold her close to him, kissing her lips. After they put the children to bed, he wanted to pull her down to the living room and make love in the glow of the Christmas lights that hung on the tree.

“I love you,” Sydney whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek. She took a shaky breath and swiped at the lone tear. “Dale,” she started and clenched her eyes shut as her eyes welled up with tears. “I…I don’t want you risking yourself to make it home. If the flights are grounded tha… that means the weather is nasty. I know you promised us you’d be back in t…time for Christmas, but we un…understand. We j…just want you home in one piece.”

It was Dale’s turn to close his eyes as he heard the emotional plea. He heard the tears in her voice and his heart constricted. He was torn. The thought of missing Christmas with his family cut him deep. But hearing Sydney’s pleas to stay at the hotel... He sighed. Going out into the storm was probably not a good idea. He didn’t know how the roads were, if anyone was even able to travel on them. Or if they had been plowed and how bad the storm was expected to be. He would be risking a lot. He didn’t want something to happen to him.

“I don’t want to be apart from you and the kids tomorrow,” Dale whispered. The wind blowing around him was so cold, he was sure it had frozen the tears to his cheeks. He realized it was dumb to travel. If the snow and the roads didn’t get him first, the cold would come along and finish the job.

“I know. I want you here with us too.” Sydney cried softly, not bothering to wipe the tears on her face. “We will celebrate once you’re home and safe. Christmas can wait a day or two.” She glanced at the clock seeing the late hour. She was going to hold off the kids’ bath and bedtime until Dale got home, but now she knew there was no need. “I need to get the kids in the bath tub and ready for bed. Why don’t you talk with Aaron while I get Sophia ready for bed?”

“Alright,” Dale fought to regain his emotions. He didn’t want to be crying on the phone when he talked to his son. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sydney wiped her tears away with her hand and went downstairs into the living room where Aaron and Sophia were watching ‘The Polar Express’. “Aaron, Daddy wants to talk to you,” she said passing the phone off to her son. “Sophia, Sweetie, lets go take a bath real quick. And when you’re done, you can talk to Daddy alright?”

“I thought we were gonna wait until Daddy came home?” The five year old girl asked as Aaron spoke into the phone.

“We were, but Daddy’s running late,” Sydney said as she walked behind Sophia up the stairs to the bathroom. She started the water in the tub and found the right temperature. As she was getting Sophia settled into the tub, she heard Aaron scream from downstairs.

“I’ll be right back,” she told her daughter and quickly ran downstairs to find out what was going on with Aaron. “Aaron, Honey what’s wrong?” She asked as she ran into the room, seeing her six year old son sitting on the couch. He was hugging his knees to his chests, the phone on the cushion next to him. “Aaron?” She sat down next to him. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him to her. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

“Daddy’s not coming home,” Aaron cried leaning into his mother. “He promised that he would be here Momma.”

“I know Sweetie, but it’s not Daddy’s fault,” Sydney said softly, trying to comfort her brokenhearted son. “It’s just snowing a whole bunch and they won’t let him fly back.”

“But it’s Christmas!” Aaron wailed. “The people at the airport have to know! They don’t want him to spend Christmas by himself.”

“No they don’t Aaron. But they want Daddy to be safe and right now, with all the snow that is coming down, it’s not safe for Daddy to fly.”

“It’s not fair!” Aaron stood up. “It’s not!” He turned around and ran up the stairs toward his room.

Sydney blew out her breath and rubbed her temples. She picked up the phone wondering if Dale was still on the other end or if Aaron had hung up on him. “Dale?”

“I’m sorry Syd,” Dale said, his voice catching. “I wanted to tell him man to man. I… he…” he cut off not knowing what to say.

“It’s alright. I’ll talk to him. He’s just upset right now. He’ll be fine. Don’t let him get to you.”

Dale sighed. He knew his wife meant well but it was hard listening to Aaron cry over the phone, begging him to come home; to find a way. No matter what Sydney said, he still felt like he was letting his family down. He promised he would be there on Christmas Eve. He promised Aaron that he’d help put out milk and cookies on the table. He promised Sophia that he would read to her before he tucked her in to bed. He had promised his wife that he would be there to spend Christmas morning together. He had broken every single one.

“Sophia should be done with her bath,” Sydney broke the silence. “Do you want to talk to her?”

“Yeah,” Dale coughed, cleaning his voice. “Yeah, put her on.”

~**~**~**~

“Momma?” 

Sydney looked up at the small voice from her spot on the couch, where she was reading a book. She had a fire going in the fire place; the television was turned to the Yule Log channel where it was playing Christmas music softly; the lights on the tree casting shadows around the room. She saw Aaron standing in the doorway. She put her book down on the arm of the couch and sat up, untucking her feet from beneath her body.

“Sweetie, what are you doing up?” Sydney held open her arms in an invitation to her son.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Aaron crawled on the couch and sat next to his mother, leaning against her. A folded piece of paper grasped gently in his hands. “Momma?”

“Yes Baby?”

“Can we put this letter with the milk and cookies for Santa?”

“Sure, let me see,” Sydney grasped the paper and opened it, staring down at her son’s hand writing. Tears filled her eyes as she read the letters.

Dear Santa,

I know it might be a little late, but I don’t want what I asked for this year. Can you please send Daddy home in time for Christmas? It won’t be Christmas without him. Just pick him up in your sleigh.

Love Aaron

P.S.: Don’t let him drive. He might try to race and your reindeer might get tired.

Sydney pulled Aaron into her arms and hugged him tight, kissing the top of his head. “I think this is a perfect letter to Santa. We’ll put that with his milk and cookies where he’ll be sure to get it. Okay?”

Aaron nodded as he watched his mother get up and tuck the note beneath the plate of cookies. He took her hand when she offered and let her pull him from the couch. They walked into his room and he crawled underneath the covers; his eyes never leaving his Mother as she tucked him in.

“Try to get some sleep, Sweetheart.” Sydney said as she brushed the reddish locks from Aaron’s forehead. She leaned over giving him a kiss. “I love you.”

“Love you Momma.”

~**~**~**~

“Momma Daddy! Santa came! Santa came!”

Sydney rolled over and looked at the clock. She was a little surprised to see a later hour than usual on the clock than Christmas’ past. She pushed back the covers and slide from the bed. When her feet hit the floor she gave a shiver at the cold chill coursing throughout the room. She grabbed one of Dale’s hooded sweatshirts from the closet and pulled it on. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes briefly.

“Mommy!”

Sydney’s eyes opened again at her daughter’s call and she left the room to make her way down the stairs. Walking into the living room, she smiled seeing Sophia sitting next to the tree staring at all the presents that Santa brought during the night.

“Wow!” Sydney said as she knelt down next to Sophia. “Santa must have bought out the whole store!”

“Silly,” Sophia giggled as she crawled into Sydney’s lap. “His elves built them all!”

“Ah, gotcha.” She kissed Sophia’s head and turned too look at Aaron who was standing at the table next to the empty milk glass and cookie plate. “Come in here Sweetie and we’ll pass out presents.”

“He didn’t get me what I wanted.” Aaron mumbled staring down at the dishes. His note was missing.

“What Baby?” Sydney got up and went to her son. “What did you say?”

“He took the letter I left, but he didn’t bring Daddy.” Aaron stared up at his mother with hurt in his eyes. “I wanted Daddy to be here when I woke up. I knew Santa would bring him.”

“I’m sorry,” Sydney pulled Aaron into her arms. The note he spoke off was sitting on the nightstand in her bedroom on Dale’s side. She had brought it to bed with her when she finished off the cookies. She didn’t know how many times she read and reread the letter. It brought tears to her eyes each time. And she wished there was something she could do, but there was no way she could get Dale to them for Christmas. Not with the weather. The snow outside still hadn’t stopped from last night. The ground was completely covered.

“I don’t want to open my presents, Momma.” Aaron pulled away from his mother. “I want to wait until Daddy comes home.”

As if she had forgotten he wasn’t home, Sophia jumped up from the tree and came over to them. “Me neither, Momma. I want Daddy here.”

Sydney saw the bottom lip protrude and grabbed both her children’s hands and led them to the couch. When she sat down, she pulled them up to sit next to her and she hugged them to her. She held them as they cried and held on to her. She comforted them the best she could, but she was missing Dale just as much as they were. “We can wait until Daddy gets home to open your presents. No one says we have to open them right now, okay? And depending on the weather, maybe Daddy will be able to fly home today.”

She continued holding them and comforting them as the dogs lay at their feet on the floor. The lights of the tree twinkled and the logs popped and crackled in the fireplace. They stayed that way until it was time to get ready to head to Martha “MawMaw” Earnhardt’s for Christmas Brunch with the entire Earnhardt family.

~**~**~**~

“Have you talked to Dale today?” Martha asked Sydney as they gathered around the table in the kitchen, helping finish up the food.

“No,” Sydney sighed as she cut the green peppers for the vegetable tray. “I’ve tried calling, I don’t know how many times, but he doesn’t answer. I don’t know if he’s not getting service because of the storm, his battery died or what.”

“I don’t know why he had to leave on Christmas Eve. Of all the times to schedule something.” Kelley said as she squeezed the filling into the hard boiled eggs. The women moved with ease through the kitchen, while the men gathered in the living room around the television screen watching the New York Knicks and Miami Heat game.

“They didn’t even want to open their presents this morning. Everything is still under the tree just like Santa left it.” Sydney said just in case there were little ears around. When the Earnhardt’s got together it was chaotic. There were plenty of grandparents, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and children. The talk was loud and the children ran in and out of the house, playing in the snow before dinner. Camera flashes were going off, laughter was floating through the air. It was a nice comfortable, homey feeling. There was nothing better to be surrounding by family during the holidays. 

It was hard to hear the conversation and trash talking from the other room and know that her husband wasn’t apart of it. She was here surrounded by family and loved ones while Dale was stuck in a hotel by himself. He did have Mike with him, but they both were still stuck without their family. It was hard to celebrate or even get into the spirit without Dale. She kept waiting for him to walk into the kitchen; to try to steal food but get whacked on the back of the hand by his MawMaw. 

She was expecting him to take a seat next to her at the table for dinner and grab her hand in his as grace was said and continue holding it. She imagined him standing up in the middle and announcing their news. She sighed and shook her head. There was no way that was going to be happening today. Dale didn’t know the news yet. It was still wrapped up in a box beneath their Christmas tree.

“Don’t worry, Sweetie,” Martha came over to Sydney’s chair and pulled her Granddaughter-in-law into a hug. “You know he would have tried everything he could to make it here.”

“I know. I had to talk him out of some really bad ideas. If it was that bad there they had to down all the flights, then there was no business for him being out on the road. We can have Christmas any time. I didn’t want him to do something stupid and get hurt… or worse.”

“We know, and understand. It was better for him to stay right where they are until they were allowed flying again.” Martha agreed with Sydney. “Christmas doesn’t have to be celebrated on the twenty fifth. It could have been last week or next week or in two weeks. As long as everyone is together. The day doesn’t hold the spirit, my dear, the people hold the spirit.”

“That’s true, MawMaw,” Sydney nodded, grabbing another green pepper to cut. “We can celebrate any day of the week. But it still sucks. We are all together here and he’s not. The kids don’t even want to open their presents. Sophia was excited until she remembered that Dale wasn’t home. Aaron is still upset that Santa didn’t bring his Daddy home like he asked.”

“Honey, once Dale walks through that door,” Dale’s aunt Kathy broke in. “They’ll forgot all about him not being here this morning. They’ll be all excited and bouncing off the walls.”

“Kathy’s right,” Kelley said. “When he gets home, Aaron and Sophia will be happy and excited that he’s there. They’ll be really ecstatic to be opening presents when everyone else is already done. They still get to open them. And he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

“I just wish he’d call,” Sydney sighed.

The conversation turned to other topics when Aaron and Sophia ran into the room wanting to go outside and play in the snow. They had twisted their cousin, Jeffrey’s, arm to take them outside. Once the children had went outside to play in the snow, idle conversation began once again. Sydney found her thoughts wondering as she continued cutting vegetables. Movement from the window broke her thoughts and she fixed her gaze on the car outside.

She watched the Chevy Silverado drive slowly up the lane and pull into the yard. The knife slipped from her hands, clattering to the table when she saw the driver get out. “No way,” she whispered pushing away from the table.

“Dear, what’s wrong?” Martha turned toward her, her voice laced with worry.

“Sydney?” Kelley echoed. “Are you alright? Did you cut yourself?”

“No,” Sydney whispered again watching the figure walk around the truck. Her face slackened with shock when he came into view. She sprinted from the kitchen to the front door, throwing it open. She gave an excited squeal and ran out of the house and down the steps. Her sock covered feet sank into the blanket of snow, but she didn’t care. Her only thought was getting to the man walking toward her with a smile on his face. When she got close enough, she launched her body into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms wrapped around his neck.

Dale laughed as he caught his wife and held her tight against him. The long sleepless drive he had just endured suddenly fell away. Driving back to North Carolina with Mike the night before in a snow storm had definitely been worth it, for this moment. He had been so tense the whole drive home, concentrating on keeping the car on the road he smoked an entire pack of cigarettes during the drive. The visibility had been horrible and at times, they were barely driving ten miles per hour. He had just griped the steering wheel tighter and pictured his family at the other end. This was the welcome he had pictured.

Sydney leaned back in Dale’s arms and lowered her head capturing his lips. The warmth of his lips brushed away the winter’s cold. When the kiss ended, she rested her forehead against his, as he still held her. “How?” Was all she managed to say. She shook her head and tightened her legs around his waist when he moved to put her down. “I don’t have any shoes on. It’s cold.”

Dale reached a hand down following a leg around his back where her gripped a sock, dampened by the snow and laughed. “Then allow me to carry you back into the house.” He maneuvered her in his arms where she was across his body with one hand around her back and the other beneath her knees, much like the way he had carried her over the threshold to their house after their wedding. “It’s snowing outside and you ran outside with no shoes?”

“I saw you running up and I just…” Sydney shrugged. “I’m so happy you are here.” She tightened her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe you are here.” She hugged him again and when she pulled back, she leveled her eyes at him. “You and I need to talk about just how you got here.”

Dale was saved from having to answer the question when shouts were called to him from numerous family members at the door. They had all rushed to see what had Sydney moving so quickly. They moved out of the way, allowing Dale to enter. Once he was through the door he placed Sydney’s feet on the floor, his arm still around her waist holding her against him. He grinned staring at the faces of his family.

“I’m starved! Is there still food left?” 

Kelley laughed and was the first one to come forward and enfold her brother into a hug. “We haven’t even started eating yet.”

“Then I came at a good time,” Dale said as he made his way through his family members with hugs, kisses on the cheeks and handshakes. The smile on his face was permanent as he stared at all his loved ones. He was so glad he had made it here to celebrate with everybody. He knew he’d go crazy in the hotel room by himself knowing that everyone was gathered at his MawMaw’s house.

“What were you thinking driving all that way in a snow storm, Dale Jr.?” Martha scolded her grandson as she hugged him.

“I couldn’t miss your great stuffing,” Dale said with a grin as he kissed his Grandmother’s cheek. “There was no way I was going to spend Christmas away from my family. I was going to be here one way or another. I rented a car and started driving home. Mike thought I was nuts but he still came with me. I dropped him off at his house and went home to shower and change and came here.”

“I ought to kick your ass,” Sydney crossed her arms in front of her as she stared at her husband. She wanted to be angry and upset with him for doing something so dangerous as to drive in a snow storm, especially one as bad that had grounded all flights. But she was too happy that he had gone through all that to make it back home to her and the kids.

“I’m sorry,” Dale said as he pulled Sydney back into his arms. Everyone had ventured back to what they were doing beforehand leaving Dale with his wife. “I know I promised I’d stay until the storm cleared, but I kept hearing Aaron and Sophia. Their cries and sad voices when I told them I wasn’t going to make it. I couldn’t stand it. I had to be here, Syd. I had to do everything I could to get here.”

“I know. I’m just happy that you made it and are safe.” Sydney whispered leaning up to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tight. She broke the kiss and laid her head on his chest and burrowed deeper against him, sighing contently when he tightened his hold on her. “I’m glad you’re here. It just wasn’t the same without you. I couldn’t get into anything. I almost didn’t even want to come over there. Aaron and Sophia didn’t want to open their presents…”

“I know, I saw the tree,” Dale’s heart broke a little as the sight of the untouched presents beneath the tree. The Christmas morning had been ruined because he wasn’t there. “I’ll make it up to them and to you. I promise.”

Sydney put a finger over his lips, silencing him. “Don’t. Being here right now has made up for it. Instead of a Christmas morning, we’ll have a Christmas night. The kids will be just as excited.”

Dale laid a kiss on Sydney’s finger tip. “Where are they?”

“Jeffrey took them all outside.” She took Dale’s hand as they walked toward the back door and stared outside at the kids playing the snow. She saw a fort being built. Snowballs were being tossed and snow angels were being made. Sophia was staring up at the sky with her mouth open, catching the falling snowflakes. She watched as Dale put a hand on the door knob ready to pull it open. “You know you’re gonna be attacked right?”

Dale grinned. “I know.” And he couldn’t wait. He pulled open the door and stepped out onto the snow covered deck. He made it was down the steps unnoticed. A smile on his lips as he spotted his children in the mix. He knelt and gathered the snow in front of him making a snowball. He grinned as he threw his arm back and launched it. He followed it through the air as it hit its intended target – Aaron.

“Hey!” Aaron yelled feeling the snow hit him. He turned in the direction the snowball came from and his eyes widened. “Daddy!” He shrieked and took off through the snow toward his father.

Sophia turned around at the yell and broke out into a grin when she saw her brother running toward their father. “Daddy!” She gave a yell that mirrored her brother’s and ran after him. 

Dale’s smiled grew and he threw open his arms as both Aaron and Sophia launched themselves to him, much like their mother had done a few moments before. He wrapped his arms around them as he fell back into the snow amidst the laughter and giggles. His heart expanded with love as he held his children to him. This was exactly what he had envisioned on the way home.

“You made it!” Aaron grinned as he stared down at his father.

“Of course I did,” Dale said as he kissed his son and then his daughter. “I wasn’t going to miss Christmas with the two best kids in the world.”

“And the best Mommy,” Sophia said as she wrapped her arms around Dale’s neck.

“And the best Mommy.” Dale repeated, his hand cupped the back of Sophia’s head, bringing it to his face as he kissed her on her forehead. “Definitely the best Mommy.” He gave a small shiver finally feeling the cold snow penetrating the layer of clothes he had on. He did not want to get soaking wet before dinner; his MawMaw would have his hide. He sat up, but neither child removed their arms from around his neck. He chuckled and simply tightened his arms around each of their backsides and stood up with them in his arms.

“How’d you get here?” Aaron asked as his father started walking back toward the house. He saw his mother standing in the doorway smiling.

Dale thought of the note he saw on the nightstand in his bedroom; the one that was tucked securely in his wallet and grinned. “Santa dropped me off.”


End file.
